The group of newly released Alolan Vulpix gathered around their two younger sisters who were about to leave, pressing close to them and rubbing their heads affectionately against their cheeks. Their faces were full of reluctance, unwilling to part.
Seeing this, Theo rummaged through his backpack, took out several more boxes of high grade Pokéblocks, and walked over to gently place them among the little Vulpix.
"These are for you to eat."
After all, they were the family of his new partners, and he could not afford to be neglectful.
The little ones smelled the fragrance and their eyes immediately lit up, but they still turned to look at their mother first.
Only after receiving Alolan Ninetales' silent approval did they happily gather around, each taking a piece and eating enthusiastically. Along with that, their impression of Theo improved noticeably.
"Alright, it's time for us to go."
Drake stepped forward, his voice softening slightly.
"The League has already prepared a new habitat for you, on the snow covered mountains of Izabe Island in the eastern sea.
The environment there is very similar to where you lived in the Alola region. Near the summit, there is a Pokémon Center that will provide supplies specifically for you.
Also, there are Snorunt and Glalie living there. Don't worry, everything has been arranged. They are also happy to have new neighbors."
Alolan Ninetales nodded. It looked at its two daughters and gently brushed their heads with its tails, as if giving them final instructions.
Although it had already explained the separation to them beforehand, when the moment of parting truly arrived, the two little Vulpix still could not help feeling reluctant.
The Fire-type Vulpix rubbed its head against Alolan Ninetales' paw, letting out a soft whimper.
The Alolan Vulpix stayed tightly beside her sister, their tails intertwined, her eyes glistening with tears.
Alolan Ninetales lowered its head and gently nuzzled them, comforting the two little ones. In the end, it used its tails to wrap around them and gently pushed them toward Theo.
Its gaze swept over Milotic and Metagross beside Theo, then finally landed on Larvesta, who was eagerly trying to get closer to the two Vulpix. The worry in its eyes gradually faded.
Theo took out his PokéNav, then accepted another smaller, specially made PokéNav from Drake.
This one had been prepared specifically for Alolan Ninetales, with Theo's contact already preset.
In front of Alolan Ninetales, he opened a video call. The screen immediately showed himself along with the two little Vulpix.
The two little ones were instantly amazed by this novel object. They could not understand how their mother appeared on the screen, and their sadness at parting lessened somewhat.
The Fire-type Vulpix even waved its paw at the screen, which caused a trace of tenderness to flash in Alolan Ninetales' eyes.
"With this, you can video call anytime. If you miss them, just press this button. I will also send you videos of them regularly so you can see how they are doing."
Alolan Ninetales stared at the screen for a few seconds, then gently touched it with its tail, memorizing how to use it.
"Norman, I won't stay any longer. Let's catch up again later."
Drake patted Norman on the shoulder, then looked at Max.
"Kid, study well under your father and don't slack off. Next time we meet, I'll be sure to test you."
"I won't slack off!" Max immediately straightened his chest, holding his Treecko plush tightly as he nodded with determination.
"Don't worry, Elite Drake. Once I get my Treecko, I will definitely become the strongest Trainer!"
Norman smiled and rubbed his son's hair.
"Alright, stop bragging."
Amid the sounds of farewell, Drake recalled Alolan Ninetales and the other Vulpix into their Poké Balls, then leaped onto Salamence's back.
With a deafening roar, Salamence spread its wings and soared into the sky, quickly disappearing among the clouds.
The Fire-type Vulpix and Alolan Vulpix ran to the edge of the yard, lifting their heads to watch as their mother, brothers, and sisters vanished into the distance. They stood there for a long time, unwilling to look away.
Only when they realized that their mother had truly left did the Fire-type Vulpix's mood drop. Its tail drooped as it sat on the ground, its eyes slightly red.
Seeing this, Larvesta immediately bounced in front of it and used its antennae to release a series of small flaming rings, spinning them around like a little performance.
"Lar!"
It even deliberately slipped one of the flaming rings around its own neck, pretending to be trapped, which made the red Vulpix burst into laughter.
Soon, the two little ones were playing together again, rolling around on the grass and completely forgetting their sadness.
On the other side, Milotic swam gracefully toward the Alolan Vulpix.
It had always liked beautiful little Pokémon. Seeing the Alolan Vulpix quietly wiping its tears, it gently waved its tail fin and controlled the moisture in the air, condensing it into sparkling pieces of ice.
Under its control, the ice gradually took shape, forming lifelike sculptures of Alolan Vulpix and Alolan Ninetales, even down to the fine details of their fur.
The Alolan Vulpix's attention was instantly captured. Its eyes widened in amazement, curiosity overtaking its sadness.
It carefully reached out with its paw and touched the ice sculpture. The cool sensation made its tail sway slightly. Then it looked up at Milotic, its face filled with curiosity.
"Miloo~"
Milotic called gently, forming a small floating ball of water and guiding it in front of the Alolan Vulpix, encouraging it to try.
The Alolan Vulpix hesitated for a moment, then imitated Milotic by exhaling a small stream of cold air, attempting to shape the water into ice.
Although it could not produce something as refined as Milotic, the water did freeze into a small irregular chunk of ice.
It let out a delighted cry and tried again several times, gradually shaping the ice into different forms.
Milotic assisted from the side, helping it refine the shape. In the end, the result did not really resemble an Alolan Vulpix, but it was enough to make the little one forget its sadness, clinging to Milotic and wanting to continue.
Max crouched nearby, watching as the two Vulpix quickly adapted to their new environment. His face was filled with envy.
"Big brother Theo, you have new partners again. That's so nice…"
He looked down at the Treecko plush in his arms and muttered softly,
"When will my Treecko come…"
Norman walked over, heard his son's words, and smiled.
"Don't worry. I've already spoken with Professor Birch. Although you're not ten yet, he is keeping an eye out for a suitable Treecko for you.
As soon as he finds one, it will be sent over. When that time comes, you must take good care of it."
"Really?!"
Max suddenly looked up, his eyes shining like stars.
"Thank you, Dad! I definitely will! I will prepare delicious food for it every day, train with it, and I absolutely won't slack off!"
Seeing Max's excited expression, both Theo and Norman could not help but smile.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees, casting warm patches of light across the yard.
It fell upon Larvesta and the Fire-type Vulpix as they played, upon Milotic and the Alolan Vulpix as they carefully crafted ice sculptures, and upon Max as he dreamed about his future.
A smile unconsciously appeared on Theo's face.
It seemed that this new journey had gained many more colors worth looking forward to.
......
While the little Fire Vulpix and Larvesta were playing around, and the little Ice Vulpix was busy learning ice sculpting with Milotic, Theo quietly opened his livestream interface.
The camera shifted back and forth between the two tiny foxes, and in an instant, a flood of viewers poured into the stream. The scrolling comments surged so fast that they nearly drowned the entire screen.
"Holy crap! So cute, two Vulpix? And one red and one white?"
"Wait, wait, wait! How did the streamer get another shiny Pokémon, and it's a Vulpix too? That luck is insane!"
"Something's off. That white Vulpix is breathing out icy mist. Even if it's a shiny, it shouldn't change its typing, right? What is that thing?"
"Streamer, explain! Is that white fox really a Vulpix? It looks like one, but the type is wrong!"
"+1111! Stop just filming and explain where these two cuties came from!"
Watching the rapidly scrolling comments, Theo smiled and explained to the camera,
"These two are indeed Vulpix, but the white one is an Ice-type Vulpix native to the Alola region. It's a different regional form from the Fire-type Vulpix we usually see.
Because Alola has a unique climate and environment, some Pokémon undergo adaptive changes. Not only do their types change, but their appearance does as well. Just like this Ice Vulpix. Its original Fire typing became Ice, and its abilities are better suited for cold environments."
He deliberately moved the camera closer to the two little ones.
"And they're actually twin sisters. One is a Fire-type Vulpix, and the other is an Ice-type Vulpix. Pretty special, right?"
"WHAT?! Twins with different types? Their mom is amazing!"
"They're too cute! One ice, one fire, ahhh I want an Ice-type Vulpix too!"
"Sending tips! Streamer, take good care of them! I'm raising these little foxes virtually from now on!"
"Donated 100 League coins, buy the white one a popsicle!"
"Donated 200 League coins, buy the red one a cake!"
Seeing the barrage of donations and the constantly rising numbers, Theo could not help but laugh helplessly. The "fan-attracting power" of these two little ones far exceeded his expectations. In just a few minutes, they had already brought in an astonishing amount of support.
While thanking the viewers, he kept the camera following the two little foxes, capturing every adorable moment. The gifts in the livestream never stopped.
Deep down, Theo could not help but sigh.
Cuteness really does rule everything.
That night, after returning to the hotel room, Theo released the Fire Vulpix and Ice Vulpix.
The moment they came out, both little ones looked timid, instinctively shrinking back. Their small eyes darted around nervously as they searched for Larvesta and Milotic.
Only after Theo released Larvesta, Metagross, and Milotic did the two little foxes finally relax a little.
Even so, they still did not dare get too close to Theo.
The Fire-type Vulpix hid behind Larvesta, only revealing a small red head as it secretly peeked at Theo, while the Ice-type Vulpix stayed close to Milotic's tail fin, its own tail stiff and tense.
Seeing this, Theo smiled slightly.
It was time to bring out his "trump card."
He opened the system panel and looked at the popularity points he had earned from the livestream earlier. Without hesitation, he activated a mid-level draw.
Several streaks of green light flashed, and two intermediate energy orbs emitting a gentle aura appeared in his hands.
These intermediate energy orbs were perfect for Pokémon like the Vulpix, whose internal energy was still not very strong. The advanced-grade ones were better reserved for Milotic and the others.
Besides, with these two little "fortune-bringing fox Pokémon," he would not have to worry about gaining popularity points in the future, so there was no need to be stingy.
"Come here, take a look at this."
Theo opened his palm, and two glowing green orbs floated gently above it, radiating a soft warmth.
The Fire Vulpix and Ice Vulpix cautiously leaned forward, their noses twitching as they were drawn to the gentle energy inside the orbs.
Theo gave a light push, and the two orbs slowly drifted toward them.
The Fire-type Vulpix sniffed curiously, then carefully reached out a paw to touch the orb. The moment it made contact, the orb dissolved into a warm current that flowed into its body.
Instantly, it squinted in comfort, letting out a soft, contented whimper. Its four legs went limp as it flopped onto the ground, exposing its soft belly.
Its tiny paws waved lazily in the air, its little pink pads rising and falling with its breathing. The sight was unbearably adorable.
Seeing this, the Ice-type Vulpix followed suit and touched the other orb.
A cool energy spread through its body. It shivered slightly, then collapsed onto the ground as well, its tail spreading out like a blooming flower, its face filled with bliss.
The two little foxes rolled around on the floor, letting out soft, satisfied sounds, completely defenseless.
Theo's heart practically melted at the sight. He quickly grabbed his phone and snapped more than a dozen photos in rapid succession.
Once the energy was fully absorbed, the way the two little ones looked at Theo completely changed.
The Fire Vulpix was the first to jump up and run to his feet, rubbing its head against his pant leg. The Ice Vulpix hesitated for a moment, then also came closer and gently licked his fingers.
"Looks like they've accepted me."
Theo smiled as he picked them up. One felt warm, the other cool, creating a wonderfully contrasting sensation in his hands.
Suddenly, he thought of something and laughed.
In the future, during winter, he could rely on Fire-type Vulpix and Larvesta as heaters, and in summer, Ice-type Vulpix could cool things down. Camping would be incredibly comfortable.
Of course, Theo did not forget about Metagross, Milotic, and Larvesta. He took out three advanced-grade energy orbs from the system space and handed them over.
After absorbing the energy, the aura around the three Pokémon noticeably grew stronger.
Looking at the red Vulpix chasing its own tail on the carpet, and the white Vulpix lying on Milotic's back, batting at small ice crystals with its paw, Theo gradually formed a plan.
"Larvesta," he said, patting the little one that was grooming Fire Vulpix's fur with its claws, "from now on, I'll leave Fire Vulpix to you. Teach it Fire-type moves and how to control the intensity of its flames."
Larvesta immediately raised its head, and the antennae around it burst into a small flame, as if confidently patting its chest in assurance.
Fire Vulpix watched Larvesta's flames and immediately got excited, opening its mouth and releasing a string of tiny sparks, making Larvesta chirp happily.
"Milotic," Theo turned to the elegant Pokémon, "I'll leave Ice Vulpix to you. Teach it how to precisely control cold energy, and how to combine Ice-type power with other moves. I'm planning to have it perform in the next Contest, so you'll need to guide it well."
Milotic gently swayed its tail fin and nudged Ice Vulpix's head, indicating that it had no problem with that.
Ice Vulpix, understanding that it would be trained, immediately let out an excited cry. It spat out a small stream of cold air, forming a crooked little ice ball in front of Milotic.
The training of these two new little foxes had quietly begun.
(End of Chapter)
TN: I'll refer to normal Vulpix as either Fire-type Vulpix, Fire Vulpix or red Vulpix and for Alolan Vulpix its gonna be Ice-type Vulpix, Ice Vulpix, white Vulpix or just Alolan Vulpix.